I find it really strange that people feel this way about Binaural as it is, IMO, a record that is way more about feeling than about any sort of intellectualization. Tracks like NAIS, SoH, Of a Girl are good examples as they're not particularly complex or sophisticated but they're all about great atmospheric sounds that envelop you. I think if you start thinking about the recording process when you listen to the music you kinda miss the point.

You're right about the mood of those songs; what I was meaning to express is that I think those moods are written into the songs, into the arrangements, as much as they are the result of production choices. "Binaural" is one of my favorite collections of songs but I've never really thought all the studio processing added much to them--to me there's just something amateurish and gimmicky about it, the work of a classic rock band whose idea of an art rock record is just a shroud of deep, echoey sound effects. I realize that's an unfair oversimplification but it's so often the pervasive impression I'm left with after listening to the record. I dunno, maybe it's the result of Tchad Blake not being able to finish what he started. Like I said, I admire what they were trying to do and wish they would try to do more of it. But I still prefer the clarity of the live versions, because I think there's enough texture and mystery inherently woven into the fabric of the songs already.

I find it really strange that people feel this way about Binaural as it is, IMO, a record that is way more about feeling than about any sort of intellectualization. Tracks like NAIS, SoH, Of a Girl are good examples as they're not particularly complex or sophisticated but they're all about great atmospheric sounds that envelop you. I think if you start thinking about the recording process when you listen to the music you kinda miss the point.

You're right about the mood of those songs; what I was meaning to express is that I think those moods are written into the songs, into the arrangements, as much as they are the result of production choices. "Binaural" is one of my favorite collections of songs but I've never really thought all the studio processing added much to them--to me there's just something amateurish and gimmicky about it, the work of a classic rock band whose idea of an art rock record is just a shroud of deep, echoey sound effects. I realize that's an unfair oversimplification but it's so often the pervasive impression I'm left with after listening to the record. I dunno, maybe it's the result of Tchad Blake not being able to finish what he started. Like I said, I admire what they were trying to do and wish they would try to do more of it. But I still prefer the clarity of the live versions, because I think there's enough texture and mystery inherently woven into the fabric of the songs already.

I think the mixing of the record sets the mood just as much as the recording does. Ed's voice is very much just another instrument which i don't hear in other Pearl Jam albums. There's a benign aggression i'm hearing from all instruments that has nothing to do with the "shroud of deep, echoey sound effects." To be honest, i'm not sure what echoey sound effects you're talking about. Examples?

It's kind of a joke that they even called the album Binaural, considering how little they relied on the bin-head input outside of the acoustic songs.

For the rockers...the rhythm section sounds like it might have utilized a lot of the dummyhead on some of those songs. The drums are distant, the cymbals aren't as clear as they might normally be, and the toms lose some of their tonal space to the bass, which can certainly happen. But the guitars have almost no bleed and feature a lot of overdubs...many of which seem to have been recorded with their own room sound.

Typically, when you want that sense of space within a song, you have your room mics for the primary work and close mics that you'll use at low levels to provide clarity and tone. It seems like they let the cymbals and 'room sound' texture move in on a lot of the real estate usually given over to guitar tones (strange, since in any punkish rocker the room sound offers little more than tonal blur), stubbornly refused to change their approach to the guitars themselves to adjust for this, and ultimately sacrificed a lot of the sonic fidelity they could have gained by trying to retreat into a more traditional mix format.

Great song collection. Great idea for recording, and it worked to varying degrees on about half the songs.

_________________Cell Phone Songs

Last edited by McParadigm on Thu January 10, 2013 8:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

well, there are definitely layers on the vinyl i don't hear on the CD. A CD can't sound exactly the same as a vinyl, its impossible.

What he means is that, as far as anyone is aware, every Pearl Jam LP is sourced from the exact same digital master as the CD.

There's no extra musical information magically stored in the vinyl, other than the inherent character and distortions of vinyl itself.

Correct. Because real vinyl is cut from the original analog tapes, or a flat hi-res file. Pearl Jam's albums have already been squeezed out like digital sausage once they reach the vinyl stage. Anyone can counterfeit a Pearl Jam LP if they have the ability. You just cut the vinyl straight from the CD.

well, there are definitely layers on the vinyl i don't hear on the CD. A CD can't sound exactly the same as a vinyl, its impossible.

What he means is that, as far as anyone is aware, every Pearl Jam LP is sourced from the exact same digital master as the CD.

There's no extra musical information magically stored in the vinyl, other than the inherent character and distortions of vinyl itself.

Correct. Because real vinyl is cut from the original analog tapes, or a flat hi-res file. Pearl Jam's albums have already been squeezed out like digital sausage once they reach the vinyl stage. Anyone can counterfeit a Pearl Jam LP if they have the ability. You just cut the vinyl straight from the CD.

I have to say, when I first learned this, several years ago, it was the first time I was disappointed in the band.

For all their bluster you would think this would be a particular sticking point for them.

well, there are definitely layers on the vinyl i don't hear on the CD. A CD can't sound exactly the same as a vinyl, its impossible.

What he means is that, as far as anyone is aware, every Pearl Jam LP is sourced from the exact same digital master as the CD.

There's no extra musical information magically stored in the vinyl, other than the inherent character and distortions of vinyl itself.

Correct. Because real vinyl is cut from the original analog tapes, or a flat hi-res file. Pearl Jam's albums have already been squeezed out like digital sausage once they reach the vinyl stage. Anyone can counterfeit a Pearl Jam LP if they have the ability. You just cut the vinyl straight from the CD.

I have to say, when I first learned this, several years ago, it was the first time I was disappointed in the band.

For all their bluster you would think this would be a particular sticking point for them.

I think (from memory) Jack White does the exact same thing.

I recall a fan criticising him online for it and he responded by claiming he didn't even understand the difference; said it sounded fine to him, so who cares?